Alabama center Charles Bediako (14) is fouled by Houston guard Jamal Shead, right, during Saturday’s game in Houston. Kevin M. Cox/Associated Press
HOUSTON — No. 8 Alabama rallied from a 15-point second half deficit to stun No. 1 Houston 71-65 on Saturday, becoming just the second team to beat two top-ranked teams in the same season.
Noah Clowney had 16 points and 11 rebounds, Jaden Bradley added 12 points and Mark Sears scored 11 points, including nine in the second half for the Crimson Tide (8-1). Alabama shot 50% from the field in the second half and 41% for the game. The Tide went 20 of 32 on free throws, including 15 of 21 in the second half.
The Crimson Tide beat North Carolina 103-101 in four overtimes on Nov. 27 and joins the 1990 Oklahoma team to take down two No. 1s in a season.
Jamal Shead had 19 points and six rebounds, and Tramon Mark scored 10 points before fouling out with 8:10 remaining for Houston (9-1). The Cougars shot 39% from the field, including going 1-of-8 to end the game. Houston was 3 of 13 on 3-pointers and 12 of 22 from the free-throw line.
(2) TEXAS 88, ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF 43: Christian Bishop scored 16 points and Texas (7-1) held Arkansas-Pine Bluff (3-8) to 13 points in the second half while coasting to a win in Austin Texas.
Dillon Mitchell scored 13 points for Texas, most of them coming on dunks. Brock Cunningham scored a career-high 13 on 5-of-5 shooting, which included three 3-pointers. Texas’ top three scorers were 18-of-22 shooting.
Chris Greene scored 14 for Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
(4) PURDUE 65, NEBRASKA 62: Fletcher Loyer scored a season-high 22 points and Braden Smith made four free throws in the last 28 seconds of overtime to give Purdue (10-0, 2-0 Big Ten) a hard-earned victory over Nebraska (6-5, 0-2).
The Boilermakers have won two straight to open conference play for the first time since 2017-18.
Zach Edey had 11 points and 17 rebounds for his eighth double-double of the season, but his quiet afternoon offensively allowed the Cornhuskers to keep things close throughout.
(5) UCONN 114, LONG ISLAND 61: Freshman Donovan Clingan had a career-high 21 points and 11 rebounds to lead UConn (11-0) over Long Island University (1-8) at Storrs, Connecticut.
The last time the Huskies scored 100 points in regulation was when they opened the 2020 season with a 102-75 win against Central Connecticut State.
(9) ARKANSAS 88, OKLAHOMA 78: Ricky Council IV scored 26 points and Nick Smith Jr. had 21 as Arkansas (9-1) beat the Sooners (7-3) at Tulsa, Oklahoma on Saturday.
Arkansas led by three at the break and gradually pulled away throughout the second half.
(16) KENTUCKY 69, YALE 59: Oscar Tshiebwe scored 28 points and had 12 rebounds to lead Kentucky (7-2) over visiting Yale (8-3).
The Wildcats pushed their winning streak to four games in a tougher-than-expected contest against the Bulldogs from the Ivy League. Yale opened the second half with an 8-0 run to tie the score at 33 before Tshiebwe scored 12 straight to help the Wildcats regain control.
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